Top 10 Link-Building Strategies For E-commerce Sites

Having an online store isn’t enough. You need people to find it. One way to do this is by getting other websites to link to yours… AKA- Backlinks. These links help your store show up higher when people search online.

Backlinks are about 90% of the ranking in SEO for your Brand’s site. Here are ten ways to get more links.

Tip #1: Team Up with Popular People

Find influencers who are well-known in your field. Ask them to talk about your products. When they do, they’ll often link to your site. This helps more people find you. Start by looking for content creators or influencers whose fans might like your products. Offer them something special, like free samples. Build a good relationship with them over time.

Why It Works: Influencers and bloggers have audiences that trust their recommendations. When they link to your site in product reviews, mentions, or features, it increases your reach and improves your domain authority.

Execution Tips:

• Find Relevant Influencers: Look for influencers who align with your brand and audience. Micro-influencers with smaller but engaged followings can offer strong results.
• Offer Value: Send products for review or offer paid partnerships. This increases the chance of receiving links in their posts or videos.
• Build Long-Term Relationships: Keep engaging with influencers to create ongoing partnerships, leading to regular backlinks.
• Use Multiple Platforms: Look beyond blogs. Influencers on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok often link to their websites, providing more backlink opportunities.

2. Write for Other Websites

Offer to write articles for other sites in your industry. In these articles, you can include a link back to your store. This gets your name out there and brings in new customers. Look for websites that accept guest posts. Suggest ideas that their readers will find useful. You can also ask to update old articles with new information and a link to your site. Additionally, consider using a free backlink provider to identify opportunities for building links and increasing your website’s authority.

Why It Works: Guest blogging lets you share content with a new audience while gaining relevant backlinks to your site. Niche edits, where your link is added to existing content, allow you to earn backlinks from high-quality websites.

Execution Tips:

• Target Reputable Sites: Find blogs and industry sites that accept guest posts or niche edits. Ensure they are relevant to your brand for maximum SEO impact.
• Provide Useful Content: When pitching guest posts, focus on creating content that benefits the site’s audience.
• Avoid Over-Promotional Links: Use natural language and avoid overly promotional links to keep your content engaging and trustworthy.

3. Get in the News

Do something that news sites want to write about. This could be a new product or a community event. When they cover your story, they’ll link to your site. Use sites that connect you with reporters looking for stories. When you have big news, write a press release. The goal is to create buzz that news sites can’t ignore.

Why It Works: Links from reputable media outlets and websites boost credibility with search engines and improve your site’s visibility. You can also use EIN Presswire for press releases. 

Execution Tips:

• Create Newsworthy Content: Develop stories that journalists want to cover, such as product launches, insights, or social initiatives.
• Build Relationships: Connect with journalists and bloggers in your industry. Engage with their content and pitch relevant ideas.
• Using HARO: Use platforms like HARO (Help a Reporter Out) to connect with journalists seeking expert insights in your field.

4. Make Eye-Catching Pictures

Create images that show data or explain things. Other sites often share these and link back to you as the source. Make infographics that present information in a clear way. Show off your products with good photos. Make it easy for people to share your images on social media.

Why It Works: Visuals are easy to share, and when they provide useful information, other sites are more likely to link back to them.

Execution Tips:

• Design Infographics: Create infographics that present useful data or industry trends. These are widely shared and can earn backlinks from other sites.
• Highlight Product Details: Share visuals that show your product process or features. These can attract attention from industry blogs or forums.
• Encourage Sharing: Add sharing buttons to make it easier for others to share your visuals, potentially earning you more backlinks.

5. Find Mentions Without Links

Look for places where people talk about your store but don’t link to it. Ask them to add a link. Many will be happy to do so. Use tools to find these mentions. When you reach out, be polite and explain how a link would help their readers.

Why It Works: When someone mentions your brand, they are often willing to add a link. Securing these links can improve your SEO with minimal effort.

Execution Tips:

• Use Tools to Find Mentions: Tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Google Alerts can help you identify unlinked mentions of your brand.
• Send Outreach Emails: Politely request the addition of a link when your brand is mentioned, explaining how it benefits their audience.
• Prioritize High-Authority Sites: Focus on getting links from reputable sites first, as these carry more SEO value.
• Using Google’s Site: Function: You can type into the Google search bar “Your Brand Name” to see sites that mention your brand.

6. Copy Your Competitors

See where your competitors get their links from. Try to get links from those same places. If it worked for them, it might work for you too. Use tools to find out who links to your competitors. Offer these sites even better content to link to. If you find broken links to competitor sites, offer your content as a replacement.

Why It Works: If competitors have earned backlinks from authoritative sites, those sources are likely to link to your site if you offer similar or better content.

Execution Tips:

• Use SEO Tools: Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush can help you analyze your competitors’ backlinks. We recommend Ahrefs.
• Offer Better Content: Reach out to sites linking to your competitors and offer more in-depth or updated content in exchange for a backlink.

7. Get on List Articles

Many sites make lists of top products or stores. Reach out and ask to be included in these lists. It’s an easy way to get a link. Look for lists in your field. Tell the list makers what makes your products special. Give them good photos and clear information about your products.

Why It Works: Roundups and listicles are constently shared, providing long-lasting SEO benefits.

Execution Tips:

• Find Existing Roundups: Search for roundups in your niche and ask to be included.
• Pitch New Ideas: If relevant roundups don’t exist, suggest a new list idea to blogs or websites that regularly publish them.

8. Start a Partner Program

Let other people earn money by sending customers to you. They’ll link to your products on their websites or social media. Give them tools to help them succeed, like good product photos and descriptions. Choose partners whose audience matches your target customers.

Why It Works: Affiliate programs incentivize others to promote your products, and many will naturally include backlinks to your site.

Execution Tips:

• Set Up an Affiliate Program: Create a program where partners earn a commission for each referral. Provide them with easy-to-share links and banners.
• Work with Reputable Affiliates: Focus on affiliates that align with your brand and have established audiences for better-quality backlinks.

9. Get on “Where to Buy” Pages

If you sell other brands’ products, ask to be listed on their “Where to Buy” pages. This puts a link to your store on their website. Find the brands you sell that have these pages. Tell them why listing your store will help both of you.

Why It Works: Links from stockist pages come from reputable websites, helping improve your site’s authority.

Execution Tips:

• Identify Partner Brands: Make a list of brands you stock or partner with, then check their websites for stockist pages.
• Request Inclusion: Contact the brands and ask to be included on their stockist pages, explaining how it helps customers find your products.

10. Encourage User-Generated Content (UGC)

User-generated content, like customer photos, reviews, or testimonials, can be a great source of backlinks. Encouraging customers to share content about your products can lead to authentic mentions and links.

Why It Works: UGC shows real customer experiences and encourages others to share or link to your site.

Execution Tips:

• Giving Them a Reason to Share: Offer discounts or giveaways to customers who share photos or reviews. Encourage them to tag your brand for easy tracking.
• Feature UGC: Highlight the best UGC on your website or social media and link back to the creators to encourage more sharing.

Use Branded Hashtags: Create a hashtag that customers can use when sharing content, making it easier to track and collect UGC.